The Pillage (And The Plunder)

This is the story of the once infamous, yet soon to be famous, Canespace blogger TruCane81. You see this wise and creative man came up with the name for the University of Miami Defense. He called it: "The Pillage".

We added "The Plunder". But for a real and true definition let us be clear: 

'Plunder' refers to the roving of soldiers through recently conquered territory in search of money and goods. 'Pillage' describes the act of stripping a conquered city or people of valuables. As pirates are not soldiers, they would now pillage, but as they are soldier-like they could also plunder.

The Miami Hurricanes defense under the highly competent direction of Defensive Coordinator Manny Diaz has been nothing short of spectacular this season. They have pillaged and plundered early and often.

We like that. Yes, we like that a lot.

As in the pirate days when the rogue warriors would simply pillage and plunder whatever they wanted from whoever they wanted whenever they wanted with no questions asked. This is exactly what the UM defense did this year.

With an offense struggling to even have a pulse, the defense has carried this team to where it is today. Not the lofty perch we all once wished for but the current favorable two-game win streak that not only made Miami bowl eligible but even praise worthy.

And all this is spite of a horrid offense coached by an incompetent coordinator with a useless offensive line coordinator and a QB coach as his son.  Yeah, I said it and I don't in the least bit regret it. That waste of needless and wasted offensive energy needs to move on and much sooner rather than later.

Tonight or even tomorrow would be just fine for most 'Canes fans.

If not for "The Pillage" (and The Plunder)  Miami could easily be 3-9. Instead, thanks to the defense we salvaged a 7-5 season in a weak ACC division.

Simply put, in 2018 we got lucky. But lucky ain't going to cut it going forward.

Scoring points is what we need and what Mark Richt is not good at.

The time for change is near. In fact, on offense, it is here right now. 

Comments

[Terrance Sullivan]

I approve this blog 1000 percent.

[CGNC]

Love the blog title!

[solarcane]

Me took

[CGNC]

We need to lock the Pillage's contract. He fits in at the U

[solarcane]

Too see

[mi@mic@ne]

You gotta like Lykes

[BigWindyCane]

Great post Soup

[BigWindyCane]

Interesting lineup for the Canes with three guards 6’2” or shorter starting. Now that he is healthy, it looks like the Canes will build their offense around Zack Johnson. I hope Dewan Hernandez returns soon. The Canes will need him for ACC play

[mi@mic@ne]

Canes need to play better defense. Giving up too many lay ups.

[TruCane81]

Thanks for the kind words, Soup.

I was highly skeptical of Diaz with some of the things we have witnessed.

He is a hungry coach with passion, intensity, self awareness and burning desire to improve.

I was worried he would turn us into his failings at Texas, but he is the type of guy that learns and grows.

The turkey, ham, sweet potato pie, and pound cake was awesome.

However I have spent Thanksgiving stuffing myself with CROW casserole as well.

I hope and pray Mark Richt has me eating more crow next Thanksgiving.

God bless Manny Diaz.

God bless THE PILLAGE.

That is all.

[SOUP]

God bless THE PILLAGE.

That is all.

Posted by: TruCane81 | November 25, 2018 at 11:26 PM

There IT is right there.

[TruCane81]

Oh yeah.

And THE PLUNDER, too.

Now that is all.

[mi@mic@ne]

We got some ringers this year. This will be interesting. Work in defense and rebounding.

[Eric Andre]

Time for some ranch

[God]

And by ranch I mean basketball season.

[🐜🌀]

These last four days have been nice don't let me down, it's past my bed time.

[Herbieibis]

Look the defense was great but before we start throwing syrup on the pancakes, it ain't like we played any offensive juggernauts. That's what sucks about this whole water of a season, with this schedule it was ripe for pillaging and plundering all who got in our way, as no team we played truly great offensively but the sad truth is we were as bad or worse than the teams we played offensively.
It's not like we had 3 or 4 starters back from last year, we had all but 3. We had a 5th year senior at QB who still can't hit wide open WR's. Our back up redshirt freshman who everyone has clsmored for is not much better, yet. If what I have seen so far from him is any indication, we will be in trouble.
Clemson starts a true freshman and he looks like a Sr. Oak st. Starts a 5th year Sr. Who rarely has played and he lights up the skies. Hell they had 2 WR's with 10 catches each in the game against Oaklahoma. How many WR's do we have with 20 catches for the season?
Richt blew this season and dam sure can't stop the bleeding until a month has go e by. Only by dumping most if not all these embesils on offense should he be able to keep his job.

[Herbieibis]

Uh that be waste not water, of a season.

[Harry Miller]

The only way Richt will change is if the BOT forces him to change. The George fan I flew home with after the LSU loss told me we would be sorry he's our coach by the middle of the season. Informed me that he would not change his ways, that he is the most stubborn person on the planet. Has no personality, no emotion and believes his plan will work no matter what every one else says. Well, it looks like he new what he was talking about he hit the nail on the head dead center and I mean dead center.

We won the game, only because he was forced to play it with a spread offence. I believe he is to stubborn to even see what really happened. He needs to be forced into giving up the oc job and get a real one and give him control of the offence including hiring his own coaches. He should be over looking the entire team and being the head coach, helping recruiting, raising money and doing all the things a real head coach does. You know what, I believe he would be very good at it. He needs to understand that you are no better then the people under you.

This is what I think and don't care what any one thinks about it. I am running out of time and tired of this crap. I want to see us great again,

[Old Skool]

Miami loses to Seton Hall 83-81
5 star forward CJ Walker nixes Miami commits to Oregon

[Old Skool]

If the Canes receivers need a theme song, how about "Oops I Did It Again"?

[BigWindyCane1]

I don't recall the U having so many receivers incapable of catching the football. When you look at other top 10 teams play on Saturday, you never see teams with these many drops. Frankly, it is embarrassing.

WRs need to either switch positions or put in the work to become good at their craft.

One one hand, I recall the speedy WR Sam Shields used to drop a lot of balls his first couple of years at WR for the Canes. Shannon switched him to CB, and he eventually became an All Pro CB with the Packers.

On the other hand, I recall Leonard Hankerson began his career at the U by dropping a lot of balls. The late Mark Duper (God bless his soul) worked with Hankerson over the summer and got him to improve his hands, then he came back and broke receiving records at the U working with Jacory Harris.

If our current crop of WRs cannot catch, then maybe they shouldn't play WR, or they need to put in the work to get better.

[Go Canes!!]

Santana Moss, Andre Johnson, Philip Dorsett, Leonard hankerson, Jimmy Graham...all had drop issues here early.

They’ll be fine.

[thirstybuzzardcane]

I was at River Ranch and didn't watch a lick of football during the Holiday. I heard the offense looked atrocious on Saturday! There were a lot of Hurricanes fans at River Ranch.

[Old Skool]

Say hello to UNC's new head coach: Mack Brown
Hook em Heels

[thirstybuzzardcane]

The basketball team looks good, but we definitely need Huell back ASAP! We are lacking depth in the front court. Zach Johnson should've handle the ball more in the second half......the kid is good!

[thirstybuzzardcane]

Santana Moss, Andre Johnson, Philip Dorsett, Leonard hankerson, Jimmy Graham...all had drop issues here early.

They’ll be fine.

Posted by: Go Canes!! | November 26, 2018 at 08:55 AM

God damn, do you have an excuse for everything!

[Go Canes!!]

Posted by: thirstybuzzardcane | November 26, 2018 at 09:26 AM

Yeah that’s an excuse. Not something we’ve seen here with freshmen for 30+ years?

Do you remember waaaaaayyy, wwwwwaaaaaaayyyy back to TWO seasons ago when everyone was questioning Ahmmon Richard’s hand when he has about a half dozen or more drops including three in one game?

How’d he do after he shook that off?

Jesus Christ you can’t point out things like almost all these kids are true freshmen catching balls on the big stage from two different QBs from game to game without the “excuses” crowd chining in.

[SOUP]

They’ll be fine.

Posted by: Go Canes!! | November 26, 2018 at 08:55 AM

You, my friend, are some piece of work.

I'll pay you double whatever you pay for those "happy pills" you take that helps you believe that everything is just fine all the time.

[mi@mic@ne]

What ever happened to Rob Chudzinski?

[Herbieibis]

Lynn Swann told Clay Helton he WAS going to make changes and that's exactly what James needs to with Richt.
Speaking of Drops, remember when played Notre Dame 6 to 8 years ago, dam Dorset dropped potential TD catches on one drive!

[Go Canes!!]

Posted by: SOUP | November 26, 2018 at 09:37 AM

Forgot, if you are critical of the HC,OC, OL coach, QB coach, o line play, both QBs and play calling here it doesn’t count.

But if you say something semi positive about one aspect of one position I’m an excuse maker on happy pills.

Whatever. You’ve proven once again your range of thoughts is the width of a shot glass.

[Go Canes!!]

Herb you’re crazy. No freshman in the history of Canes football has EVER had drop issues before Richt got here.

[mi@mic@ne]

Randall thrill hill as a red shirt freshman
1988 Miami (FL) WR Rec21 yds 338 average 16.1 tds 4

[mi@mic@ne]

Dale Dawkins did not get to redshirt..his second year 31 rec. yards 488 tds 4

[mi@mic@ne]

Andre Brown ...sr year...47 rec. 746 yds td 8

We used to be qb U..look at these stats

[mi@mic@ne]

Lamar Thomas..freshman 15 rec 205 yds td 1

The boy could catch the ball..and he never dropped the fly

[Old Skool]

In the horrendous event CMR doesn't change the offense for next year, I suggest we send the offense Happy 31st Birthday cards care/of the Athletic Department.

[mi@mic@ne]

darryl spencer red shirt freshman rec 15 yds 256 2 tds...

This is when we had a real spread offense...we did not drop the ball when Erickson coached the team.. a one back offense

[mi@mic@ne]

wesley carroll...i think he was a juco..first year at the U 53 rec 770 5tds...

Richts passing attack compared to our air attack under Erickson is bush league

[mi@mic@ne]

anybody who was at the ob watching the 80s Canes knows that Richt would be laughed off the side lines ..he couldnt be a water boy

[TruCane81]

Santana Moss, Andre Johnson, Philip Dorsett, Leonard hankerson, Jimmy Graham...all had drop issues here early.

They’ll be fine.

Posted by: Go Canes!! | November 26, 2018 at 08:55 AM

I remember in 99 when Santana TOASTED the FSU secondary at the Doak and dropped a BEAUTIFUL td pass.

We lost that game by 10 I think but that was when I really knew we were almost back.

[mi@mic@ne]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0i9s1L4dxM

We bad...we bad ...get him out of here

[mi@mic@ne]

we even knew how to kick field goals and punts

[mi@mic@ne]

just like every body throwing up four fingers which was started by the canes so they changed the rules because of this beat down...the egg heads were furious that we beat the longhorns to pulp...lmao

[mi@mic@ne]

We need an oc like yesterday

[BigWindyCane1]

Occasional drops by a couple of freshmen receivers in a game can be tolerable, but I have never seen so many drops in a college football game. From freshmen to redshirt seniors were dropping balls, and Cager simply didn't know his hot routes on a blitz. Redshirt junior Cager didn't turn his head around, and you simply just don't see that very often with good teams in college football games. The Canes only have two upperclassmen in the WR rotation, and when they drop balls and don't know routes, it is a big problem.

This could force a QB to simply run the ball rather than throw it to an open WR. At least our TEs Jordan and Mallory don't drop passes, so you can split them out wide. I will also give the freshmen WRs credit for blocking downfield on Homer's long runs, but Cager and Langham didn't do as good of a job blocking as the freshmen.

These WRs need to know their routes, run them correctly, get some separation and catch the ball.

From what I have seen so far, the Canes don't have a #1 receiver right now. I am not sure who on this roster has the potential to fill that role, if any. That is why we need Payton and Hazelwood here. Dunmore or TJ Jones would also round things out. They are alpha dogs. Someone will emerge as a leader with them pushing the older guys.

[SOUP]

You’ve proven once again your range of thoughts is the width of a shot glass.

Posted by: Go Canes!! | November 26, 2018 at 10:06 AM

U give me WAY too much credit.

[mi@mic@ne]

I was told by my dad after visiting my sister who lived across the street from the old practice fields at the U that Erickson had a practice routine that he had never seen. Evidently it was geared toward getting the most out of the passing game. Richt should sit down and talk with him about the training in practice.

[Go Canes!!]

Erickson’s routine including closing Hooligan’s on Kendallans US1 four nights a week.